


I Ain't Gonna Face No Defeat

by queenofthefuckinggoblins7



Series: Somebody to Love [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hogwarts First Year, Hogwarts Second Year, Hogwarts Third Year, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29105955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofthefuckinggoblins7/pseuds/queenofthefuckinggoblins7
Summary: Blaise learned very early on that his soulmate was rather controversial.When Harry seemingly rejects him without a word, Blaise has to decide whether it's worth it or not to pursue him anyway.---Blaise's POV of Part 1.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini
Series: Somebody to Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122170
Comments: 6
Kudos: 222





	I Ain't Gonna Face No Defeat

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Part 2!  
> Unbeta'd so please forgive any mistakes.  
> XOXO

Blaise learned very early on that his soulmate was rather controversial. Despite what many thought, his mother held no allegiance to the Dark Lord, even what with occasionally practicing Dark Arts herself. The Zabini family had been notoriously neutral in all conflicts for centuries. But now, there was the possibility of that changing.

From the time he was old enough to talk, he was taught to hide his soulmark, to never tell anyone whose name was on his wrist. It was a common enough practice amongst pure-blooded families who had “shameful” marks, so no one would pay any undue attention towards Blaise for it. His mother made sure to prepare him as much as she could for any possible outcome. She herself had been forced into an arranged marriage, and she was determined that Blaise be the one to choose whether he formed a relationship with his soulmate or not.

\---

Even though he knew it was unlikely that Harry would give him a chance, Blaise couldn’t help the hope bubbling up. He had been waiting for this day for years, constructing scenario after scenario, and plotting how to make their first meeting perfect. He wouldn’t approach Harry tonight, far too many people around with no chance of privacy. Tomorrow would be much better. Blaise clung to that thought all through the train ride, his first glimpse of Harry while riding the boats across the lake, the sinking in his gut as Malfoy made an arse of himself to Harry on the stairs, and all through the Sorting.

Everyone took it as a given that Harry ended up in Gryffindor, though the house rivalry would make things that much more difficult. Blaise kept an eye on Harry as his own name was called, and felt a flicker of disappointment when Harry showed not even a spark of recognition. That flicker turned into a roaring flame the next day as he began walking towards Harry, who was walking with his yearmates towards the Great Hall for breakfast. There was the briefest moment where their eyes locked, ending with Harry casually dismissing him and returning to his conversation with Weasley.

Blaise was… _crushed._ He knew getting Harry to know him would be difficult, but that was when he’d at least expected Harry to acknowledge their bond, let alone that he even _existed._ Well, fine. If that was the way Harry wanted it, then Blaise would oblige. He’d keep his distance and make a point to not engage Harry in any capacity. Unlike Draco, who’d decided that since he couldn’t have Harry’s friendship, he’d get his attention anyway he could.

So when Harry’s first quidditch match almost ended with him splattered across the field, Blaise did nothing.

When Harry received detention for something to do with a bloody _dragon_ , Blaise kept his mouth shut.

When Draco came back from that detention raving about “half-breed oafs” “shadow monsters” “bloody Harry Potter” and “my father will hear about this!” Blaise left well enough alone.

But the absolute last straw, was when Harry landed himself in the Hospital Wing for several days at the end of the year. There were all sorts of rumors flying about, and honestly, Blaise didn’t know what to believe. But he did know that his soulmate was hurt. That he could have died.

Blaise made a promise to himself, to try again.

\---

 _Of course Harry had to make an eventful start to the school year._ Blaise thought ruefully. By now, everyone and their cat had heard of how Harry and Weasley had _flown_ to school in a bloody _flying car._

Blaise had wrestled with himself for most of the summer, and came to the conclusion that if Harry didn’t want to be his soulmate, maybe they could at least be friends. The problem was trying to figure out a good time to approach him. Where Harry went, Weasley was never far behind, and he was well known for his hatred of all things Slytherin. Blaise had to admit that many of his housemates hadn’t exactly helped on that front either, what with actively antagonizing Harry any chance they got.

Then suddenly, the Golden Trio were found with a petrified cat and a message from the Heir of Slytherin. Gossip spread rampant through the school, between getting the story behind the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry being at the center of the crime. Then came the revelation of Harry being a Parselmouth. All at once, the whole school seemed to turn against him. Even most of the Gryffindor’s were suspicious. It was utter bollocks in Blaise’s opinion. Anyone who’d spent even the smallest amount of attention on Harry could see that he would never do something like this.

However, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for this was when Blaise found his opening. He liked to wander the disused corridors every now and then, to explore and to be left alone for a while. On this particular day, down this particular corridor, he heard a soft sniffling. When he went to investigate, who should he find, but his soulmate? Harry was curled up with his knees against his chest, his head resting on his knees, and quiet tears running down his face.

For all that Blaise had been looking for this opportunity; now that he had he was unsure what to do with himself. The only words he could think of sounded hollow and trite. Instead he offered up the only other thing he could, his presence. Blaise sank down next to Harry, not daring to get close enough to touch quite yet. He held Harry’s eyes when he startled, and soaked up the chance to see them so close up.

After a moment, Harry spoke, “What do you want?”

He sounded exhausted, like he was barely holding himself together, and Blaise weighed his words carefully.

“I wanted to see if you were alright. What with most of the school lacking in brain cells and thinking you’re the Heir and all. It’s incredible how gullible they all can be.”

Blaise held back a laugh at Harry’s dropped jaw and befuddled expression.

“You believe me, then?” was Harry’s reply.

“Of course I do,” Blaise snorted. “Anyone who’s paid any attention to you ought to know it’s ludicrous.”

“Thank you, Zabini.” Harry’s face had softened, and he gave a small smile.

Hope began to bloom once more, “Call me Blaise.”

“Harry, then.” And flowered into something more. It was a start.

As the months passed, and they snuck away to meet up, Harry never mentioned his soulmark. Blaise respected his wishes and did the same in kind. He was content with what he had developing. He didn’t even mind when Harry admitted to not telling Weasley and Granger about him, it made their time together feel more special, somehow. Just for them.

But of course, just when things were going so well, the world had to strike back. The petrifications continued, and a school-wide curfew was issued, discontinuing their get togethers. It was bad enough that Blaise missed Harry so much, but seeing Harry destroyed over Granger being petrified and not being able to talk to him was torture. This cannot stand, so Blaise sends his mother a letter, asking for her help in procuring a gift for Harry. It didn’t take her long to send over the mirrors, now Blaise just had to get the other one to Harry.

Before he could, the school was sent into a panic, as a student had been abducted and taken to the Chamber. Some of the students in the common room were smug; the Weasley’s were not well liked amongst many of the families of higher status. Others were quietly disturbed at their classmates callous attitudes. All Blaise knew, was that he had a bad feeling in his gut. Lo and behold, not a few hours later he found he had reason for the nerves. The late night feast passed by agonizingly slowly for Blaise, as he stared at a disheveled Harry across the room.

It took two whole days before they were able to meet again, and Blaise couldn’t resist running his hands all over Harry, just to make sure he was all right. Blaise doesn’t mean to squeeze Harry’s hand so tight during the retelling, but once again Harry had come so close to dying. If the last two years were any indication, next year wouldn’t be any better. But this time, Blaise promised himself that he would be there to protect Harry however he could.

\---

“Mama.”

“Yes, my darling?”

“I need you to teach me some of the more obscure and advanced defensive spells.”

Lady Ariadne Zabini paused in her correspondence and glanced pointedly at her son. “Whatever for, dear heart?”

Blaise steeled himself and continued, “Harry stumbles his way into a lot of trouble. What with who he is, that’s not likely to change anytime soon either. I need to learn how to hold my own so I can stand beside him. So I can protect him.”

His mother was not the warmest of people, like many in high society she had rather grey morals. That said, Blaise knew his mother would do anything for him. She loved him fiercely and unconditionally. He held himself tall under her scrutiny, and was not disappointed when she acquiesced. He would be well prepared for whatever may come during this next school year.

He was not able to speak with Harry often at the start of summer; Harry had told him that his muggle relatives did not like magic. And wasn’t that a shock, Harry Potter raised by muggles. Blaise had been perturbed over the thought of the Dursley’s lies, at Harry being denied his heritage. Harry had tried to be nonchalant about it, but Blaise could see that it cut him deeply. Bits and pieces of what Harry had told Blaise of the Dursley’s were cause for concern, but Blaise didn’t have enough for anything beyond his own suspicions.

Early into August, Harry calls from the Leaky Cauldron and gives him a quick rundown of his rather chaotic night. Really, only Harry. Blaise was pleased that he would be able to see Harry sooner than expected, though. They spent a full day leisurely wandering the Alley and purchasing their school supplies. All in all, it was one of the best days either had ever had.

As is becoming tradition, the year did not start out well for Harry. Blaise was continually amazed at the sheer amount of bad luck the younger boy had, though he supposed one could also argue Harry’s incredibly good luck of managing to get himself out of such scrapes too. Dementors were a bit much, though. And one encounter just wasn’t enough, oh no, they had to go and invade the quidditch pitch as well. Blaise had nightmares about Harry falling for weeks. Frankly, it was getting harder and harder to keep their friendship secret when he didn’t even want to let Harry out of his sight for a moment.

Shortly after everyone comes back to Hogwarts from hols, Blaise notices Harry acting rather odd. Or rather, Harry was acting as if he was just fine, when clearly something had happened to make him very much not fine. He’d overheard Harry dancing around Weasley and Granger a few times and the two were so absorbed in sniping at each other that they clearly didn’t dig any deeper.

It doesn’t take Blaise long to put his foot down.

“I want you to know, I know something is up with you. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to and I won’t push, but you also don’t have to pretend that everything is fine with me.” Blaise holds Harry’s eyes and watches his face drop slightly.

“I-I just didn’t want to worry you.” Harry’s looking sheepishly at his shoes and Blaise tries not to find it completely adorable.

“Of course I worry about you. That’s just what friends do. And I’m here for you, whatever you need.” Blaise reached out his hand and took Harry’s, who gave him a tight squeeze. “Now, I believe you were about to regale me once again about quidditch practice.”

The distraction worked; Harry was off like a shot, talking a mile a minute about the latest fumbles and mid-air crashes. He didn’t seem to notice that Blaise had not let go of his hand.

Exams that year had been as brutal as always, and Blaise was looking forward to a bit of a lie in, but it wasn’t to be. It was still dark when Blaise woke to Harry calling his name through his mirror. Harry looked frazzled, his hair even more unkempt than usual. Blaise vaguely registered Harry’s demands to meet up and was still half asleep when he grabbed a couple pastries for breakfast. Harry had already arrived by the time Blaise got there and he observed Harry stumble out of his pacing to just stare at him. When it seemed as if Harry would just stand there forever, Blaise spoke up.

“What’s the matter, Harry? You said this was really important,” Blaise prodded.

“Why didn’t you say anything? About us being soulmates.” Harry’s voice cracked a bit.

That had not been what Blaise was expecting. He took a moment to think about his reply, he really wanted to get this right. “Because you didn’t. I knew it was likely that you wouldn’t know who I was, but I had expected you to seek me out after the Sorting in our first year. Instead, you never even looked my way. I was pretty crushed at first, I won’t lie. I thought perhaps you didn’t want me because I was a Slytherin. I thought I’d try and move on but I couldn’t. I found myself seeking you out in the corridors, at breakfast, and in all the classes we shared. Then in second year, I decided that I could at least see if you wanted to be friends. I could be content with that. I have been, and even though we circled some more serious topics you still never brought it up. I thought you might be ashamed to have me as a soulmate.”

Of all the reactions, he’d not thought Harry would start _crying._ It near about broke Blaise’s heart, and he reached out to wipe away Harry’s tears. He looked down as Harry raised his wrist and fiddled with the band there. Blaise had always thought Harry had wanted to hide from the reminder of his soulmate. As pink, mottled scar tissue was revealed he inhaled sharply and failed to quiet the wounded sound wrenched from his throat.

“I never knew who my soulmate was. My relatives said I had the scar when I was left with them as a baby, but I overheard them talking about me once when I was six or so. They didn’t want a faggot for a nephew and burned it off. After finding out I was a wizard and famous, I’d figured I’d never meet my soulmate. Never be able to find them.” Harry said softly.

Blaise was near incandescent with rage. How _dare_ they. These people were supposed to be Harry’s family, they were supposed to care for him. Instead they deliberately tortured and scared their nephew, removing the link he had to the person who would become most important to him. So much made _sense_ now. How Harry hadn’t acknowledged him in first year, he didn’t even know who Blaise was to him. None of it had been on purpose. Blaise shuddered to think what his life would be like if he’d given up for good at the beginning of second year.

He gently pulled Harry into his arms, “You’re not going back there. I’ll kidnap you if I have to. You’re coming to Italy with me and that’s final.”

His mother wouldn’t mind he was sure, and she was well connected so there wouldn’t be any trouble she couldn’t handle. He might even be able to get her to poison those awful muggles.

Harry held on tightly, as if he thought he was dreaming. In a thick voice he said, “I’d like that.”

Blaise made a silent vow to himself; now that he had Harry, he would _never_ let him go.


End file.
